The Perfect Beard Trim (Step-by-Step from the Experts)

This entry was posted on March 29, 2018 by The English Shaving Company.

Perfecting your beard trim routine will make all the difference when creating an attractive and well-kept beard. Whether you’re growing out your facial hair or have already achieved your desired length, trimming is essential at every stage. The English Shaving Company have put together a step-by-step guide on how to trim your beard.

You could go to the barber to have your beard trimmed. If you’re not worried about spending a bit of cash and taking the extra time, it is an option, but a lot of men prefer to learn how to achieve the perfect beard trim at home. Not only does it save you money and time (although you should never rush your trim!), it also gives you greater control over your look.

Steps for the Best Beard Trim

If you want to get the best beard trim at home, follow the steps below. We recommend you don’t rush trimming your beard. Not only can that lead to accidental slips of the scissors, which can ruin your beard, but it also means each trim isn’t as effective and you’ll have to do it more often. Especially when you’re just learning how to trim your beard, take your time.

1. Pre Trim

Wash with beard shampoo

Ongoing beard maintenance - moisturising with beard oil and washing, for example - is always recommended. However, just before your trim your hair, it’s good to use both beard shampoo and conditioner. It helps prepare the hairs for the trim and means that when your routine is complete, your beard looks (and feels) soft and clean.

2. Trimming Your Beard

The key areas when trimming your beard are the edges, namely, the cheek and neck lines. This is a trick artists use when painting; getting the edges of a subject right makes all the difference to a work of art.

Trim your neckline

The hairs on your neck can easily get forgotten or skipped over, but they are essential if you want to create a good shape for your beard and accentuate your jawline.

Use a comb to brush the hairs and cut a clean line just above your adam’s apple. Taper this line upwards as you move outwards from the centre of the neck, using your jaw-line as a guide - you don’t want your beard to look too square. If you trim too high, your beard won’t look as full, especially in a side profile. Too low, and you create a ‘neckbeard’ which generally looks unkempt. The underside of your chin should always be hairy. When your hand is flat, palm facing the floor, and you tap under your jaw, everything your hand touches should be bristly and full.

If you have a shorter beard, the way you cut your neckline really makes a difference to the way your jaw looks. A flattert line will enhance the strength of your jaw shape and works best with shorter beards.

Maintain your cheek line

With both long, short, and medium beards, trimming the top along the line of your cheeks creates a neat look. There are different ways you can do this, either with a sharp and clean line, or a gradual movement into the full thickness of your beard. Either way, look to create a line that points towards the corners of your mouth, accentuating the shape that’s already there. This simple step keeps it looking like a cared-for beard.

Use a razor to trim the hair above this line. The closer you go to your skin when trimming these hairs, the sharper your cheek line will look. You could trim the hairs nearest your cheek line a little longer using a pair of beard scissors to create a gradual temper into your beard. This can be a great idea if you want to leave it an extra day or two between trimming. The growth in this style isn’t as obvious as fresh stubble against a clean line.

Trim the Body of your Beard

There are different techniques that you can use when trimming the body of your beard. Free-hand electric beard trimmers are an option, but they come with a risk: one small move can instantly take a chunk of hair out of your beard. We would recommend using beard scissors as these provide much greater control.

Use a beard brush to lightly brush against the grain, encouraging the hairs to stick upwards. It’s much easier to spot hairs that are longer and to trim these back.

The different areas of your beard will all grow at different rates, which means you might need to target particular parts more than others in order to keep your beard looking great all round.

3. Trim your Moustache

Use a comb to brush out from the middle of your moustache then a small pair of moustache scissors to trim the longer hairs. You can apply a little moustache wax to smooth it into a controlled shape. We’ve put together a guide on how to use moustache wax that might prove useful!

4. Comb and Condition

When your trim is complete, apply some beard oil and work it through the whole of your beard. Use a beard comb to spread the oil evenly. This will help to moisturise your hairs, giving them strength and keeping them soft. If you’re not confident using beard oil, read our handy guide.

How often should I trim?

Ongoing beard maintenance will vary from person to person, so how often your trim your beard will depend on the speed it grows. Most men find they require a full beard trim around twice a month. However, maintaining your cheeklines will probably need to be done every few days, much like with normal shaving.

If you’re looking to grow your beard, you’ll probably leave it longer between each trim to achieve the length you want. It is still important to trim your beard as it grows, however, in order to maintain a kempt and controlled look throughout the process.

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